Passport to Mexico!

We had heard that there were many delays in getting a new passport these days since the government heightened security measures. We decided to put in for Ax's as soon as we got his birth certificate and pray and hope for the best. On Friday the 19th we went down to the main post office to submit the application. They were concerned that his face looked too red in his picture, until I held him up and they said, "Wow he is a red little guy!"

On Friday the 26th, exactly one week later, there was one piece of mail in the box. It was Ax's passport! It's exciting to know that we can now legally take all of our children with us. We'll have to call that Gypsy family and let them know the deal is off.

Within the next couple of weeks I will be travelling with one of my good friends down to Mexico to check things out. It's an exciting opportunity to see where we will be living, what we should bring, and to meet all the great people we will be working with. If you would like to help us finance this trip you can send funds to:

Now Hope
Po Box 62337
Colorado Springs, CO 80962
(write "for the Nagels" in the memo)

To donate using a credit card call (719) 964-4254 or visit www.nowhope.org. Just be sure to designate that your donation is for us.

I'll be posting pictures and stories of my trip ASAP! Be sure to drop us a line and let us know how you're doing.


Love,

Jon, Rachel, Smith, Zaisy, Davis, and Ax

God does answer prayer!

The Lord is good! Rachel's purse was stolen on Saturday. Sunday evening, right before church, we get an anonymous call from a lady in Denver saying she had found Rachel's driver's license at an antique mall. She said she would send it to us in the mail. We fully expected to see it when we opened the mailbox yesterday.

What we didn't expect was the second envelope we received with completely different handwriting. It was stuffed to the brim with our insurance cards, photos, a check I had already endorsed, and most importantly, Ax's baby bracelet from the hospital. There were many other items that someone really had to dig through the purse to find. What a thoughtful thief! Or, could it be that someone is being convicted by the Spirit of God?

We continue to stand on the promise found in Proverbs 6:30-31 "People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house."

Free Day At The Zoo?

Hello friends! This past weekend we went up to Denver to meet several friends and enjoy a free day at the Denver Zoo. Apparently, everyone else in Colorado had the same idea as traffic was overwhelming and the parking was worse. We finally found parking in a Catholic church parking lot about half a mile away.

We strolled with the crowds through the zoo and enjoyed seeing all the animals as the multi-colored autumn leaves floated down around us. It was picturesque to say the least. Smith and his friend enjoyed chasing the geese until they would flap their large wings and fly away. Ax was content to cuddle into my chest and sleep while Zaisy and Davis ran around and explored every nook and cranny they could fit into. It was a beautiful day!!

I ran ahead of the family to go get the van and come back and pick them up. When I came to the lot where we had left the van I was perplexed by the sight that I saw. There was our van just as we had left it, with one minor difference. The side sliding door was wide open. I was embarrassed at first thinking we had accidentally left the door open. However, upon further inspection I realized it was not us who had left it open rather, the person who had pried it open to take Rachel's purse. How inconsiderate of them to leave the door open!

Monetarily we lost close to a few hundred dollars. This did not hurt us as bad as the photos Rachel kept in the checkbook cover of when we first met. Rachel was also sad to lose all of her lip gloss and her favorite purse.

So why do bad things happen to good people? It's a question that has marveled the ages. Our take on it however, is that when we are comfortable and we experience no hardships at all, we must question if we are on the right path. It's when we are moving and working for the Kingdom of God that we experience attacks from the enemy of our souls. So though we are saddened by our loss, we are encouraged and inspired by this confirmation that we are moving in the right direction. What Satan has meant for evil, let the Lord Jesus Christ use for greatness.

When we shared with the children what had happened, Zaisy suggested that we pray for the person that had committed the crime. We asked her to pray, and as she did, she prayed that this person would come to know Jesus and that their life would become better so they would not have to steal anymore. When Zaisy prays, amazing things happen! I have a feeling that this person, whomever it may be, is about to have their life rocked by the power of God. They thought they were just stealing a purse...they may have just stolen the key to eternal life. Praise God!

The Nagels Are Moving To Mexico!!!

Hello friends and family! We are excited to have you join us in our daily adventures as we prepare for the big move. We will be moving to Oaxaca, Mexico to work with an organization called Global Frontier Missions. You can check them out at http://www.globalfrontiermissions.com/. We feel strongly that God has lead our family to work with this ministry at this time in our lives. They are already doing amazing work and ministry in Mexico and will soon be expanding to the 10/40 Window. We look forward to helping them out in any way we can!

We hope to be able to see and spend time with as many of you as possible before we head out.

Currently, we are in the process of selling our home and most of our possessions. We will spend the next few months raising support and we hope to be down there by the beginning of the new year. Let us know if you would like to help us financially or if you would like to support us by praying for us on a regular basis.